Arlington, Texas, Is a Finalist for New $150M National Medal of Honor Museum

As one of the famous “Dustoff” helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War, Pat Brady flew into battle zones to collect critically wounded soldiers and zoom back to a field hospital.During a series of rescues in January 1968, Brady flew three different helicopters through fog, smoke and gunfire to rescue a total of 51 seriously wounded soldiers. For his actions that day, Brady received the Medal of Honor.These days, Brady, 82, is no less committed to the success of his new mission: the opening of a new museum honoring the values of service, courage and patriotism exemplified by the more than 3,500 fellow recipients of the nation’s highest award for valor.Arlington — with the help of sports teams and well-heeled North Texas philanthropists — is one of two finalists, along with Denver, to become the future site of the proposed $150 million museum. San Diego, New York City and Washington, D.C., were also in the hunt before the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation narrowed its list earlier this month.The museum is currently located at the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, S.C., but the foundation wants to relocate it to a land-based site.The foundation, of which Brady is a member, will make its final decision in late September or early October.Brady, a retired major general who lives in New Braunfels, sees the museum as an asset to any city. The museum will be aimed at more than veterans, military history buffs or young people thinking about enlisting, he said.“This is not a recruiting tool, he said. “We want them to walk in the front door and walk out the back a changed person.”Why Arlington?Arlington stood out to the foundation because of suitability for the project and its enthusiasm, said Joe Daniels, chief executive of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. During a visit in April, Daniels met with Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams and Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach, among others.  Continue reading...

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